New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #29

Li Hu - Let me know if you need a belayer for Huevos. By the way, it might be getting sun first thing in the morning.

Brandt Allenwrote:

Li Hu - Let me know if you need a belayer for Huevos. By the way, it might be getting sun first thing in the morning.

Cool! Yes, and I was hitting up a ex-“dirt bag” I met at the gym as well. 

What’s the best time to hit it this time of year?

I don’t know about this crack climbing stuff. It’s hard work!  Chris and I were at Maggie‘s farm. A hard wind blowing and I’m still struggling with whatever has hit my lungs so I was wheezing and miserable.

When it comes to crack climbing, I feel like there are “too many body parts “ to deal with and limbs get in the way.   no sooner could I get a perfect hand jam then I could not see my feet below me. If I could finally place a foot in the crack and step up, there was no place for another hand. And then the crack whimped out altogether and I could only layback.  It’s a lot of work to climb maybe 30 feet!  

Top of this crag.

But crack climbing is ever so much more fun.

Lori Milaswrote:

When it comes to crack climbing, I feel like there are “too many body parts “ to deal with and limbs get in the way.   

It’s just a “feeling” cause they’re all screaming in anguish. “Why are you subjecting us to this?”. 

Then you finally work your way to the top and there’s that dopamine rush!  

Leading cracks is even more fun. Add random pieces in awkward positions for your follower.  

And then the crack whimped out altogether and I could only layback.  It’s a lot of work to climb maybe 30 feet!  

During the layback you can get a great view of all your limbs, and sweat, watch helplessly as your hands slip out or a foot slips, but you get to see it all heehehe  

Li Huwrote:

It’s just a “feeling” cause they’re all screaming in anguish. “Why are you subjecting us to this?”. 

Then you finally work your way to the top and there’s that dopamine rush!  

Leading cracks is even more fun. Add random pieces in awkward positions for your follower.  

During the layback you can get a great view of all your limbs, and sweat, watch helplessly as your hands slip out or a foot slips, but you get to see it all heehehe  

Me and laybacks   … I always feel like I’m going to launch right into space.

Thank you for your empathy. I suffered today.  

This scene from Amadeus came to mind when Salieri told Mozart his composition had too many notes. (Too many limbs)    

Li, Huevos is quite thin so I'm not sure how much your board workouts are going to help you.  It is a great route.

Being short and strong I always loved liebacks.  One of my favorites was no mistake or big pancake which is typically a dyno but when you are short then liebacking it is the only way to do it.

Jan Mcwrote:

Li, Huevos is quite thin so I'm not sure how much your board workouts are going to help you.  It is a great route.

Being short and strong I always loved liebacks.  One of my favorites was no mistake or big pancake which is typically a dyno but when you are short then liebacking it is the only way to do it.

It just looked so cool when I climbed up to the base to check it out.

Let’s see what’s in store for me these next few months. My partners want to climb Suicude and Tahquitz, but I heard it’s still cold up there.

Li Huwrote:

I heard it’s still cold up there.

Still cold in some of the upper places in late May. Almost paddling season, though.

I saw this picture on Instagram this morning and my first thought was I’ll bet all of you former and current climbers can keep your bodies to the wall like this.  I try but I don’t do a very good job.

it’s a familiar instruction from Bob “get your hips in” when I believe they are as in as they could possibly get. I think it’s the turnout—you gotta have one. Also maybe impeccable balance? I would feel very unstable this close to the wall, on the verge of toppling backwards.  Adam here has a perfect second position turn out.

—-

Read some of the reviews for the route I was on yesterday, Rainy Day Women, and they helped me understand what was going on up there.  it was such a short route that I couldn’t describe the issue.

“Not for the beginning Crack leader.
My partner and I both thought the crux was at least as hard as any move on Sail Away (which we did three days before).
For me the crux move was a combination of tenuous jam, tenuous layback, tenuous feet -- which all taken together were enough to hold the move. So for physical strength perhaps it's no more than 7, but for technical mastery and mental creativity + staying-cool-on-Lead maybe it's 8+”

Someone else described a flaring crack that makes you search for a face hold.  Now I understand why I was calling it a sloper.  The crack widened out to a flare which wouldn’t hold a jam so I had to grab with right hand and lean left and pray. 

I feel better now.   

Inspired by photos of Lori's crack climbing exploits I went out this morning to do That's What She Said, 5.7, on the west side of Left Hand of Darkness.

Walking up to the route I noticed, "It's not that big." (That's what she said!)

Part way up the route I'm thinking, "This isn't so hard." (That's what she said!)

On the way down after the climb I said, "Well, that was a lot better than I expected."

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!

Brandt Allenwrote:

Inspired by photos of Lori's crack climbing exploits I went out this morning to do That's What She Said, 5.7, on the west side of Left Hand of Darkness.

Walking up to the route I noticed, "It's not that big." (That's what she said!)

Part way up the route I'm thinking, "This isn't so hard." (That's what she said!)

On the way down after the climb I said, "Well, that was a lot better than I expected."

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!

Now, now Brant, you're getting a bit risque here!!! Remember, some minors--under 50s, might sneak in to look at this thread!!!!

I had to work down south this weekend on a photo gig. I got 5 laps in at sunset / moonrise at my old crag. 450ft of steep exposed easy climbing. 

got done with my editing in time this evening for a quick swim in Lake Caspian with Isa and Bernie

Brandt Allenwrote:

Inspired by photos of Lori's crack climbing exploits I went out this morning to do That's What She Said, 5.7, on the west side of Left Hand of Darkness.

Walking up to the route I noticed, "It's not that big." (That's what she said!)

Part way up the route I'm thinking, "This isn't so hard." (That's what she said!)

On the way down after the climb I said, "Well, that was a lot better than I expected."

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!

When I think of crack Climbing, I think of this:

I don’t know if the little bitty things here even are worth the bother.

I am curious to know if we have a right hand of darkness here.  

Really nice pictures, Nick!  

I took off alone this morning to hike to one of my favorite places, Little Hunk.  It’s not an easy scramble, but as soon as you get back among the boulders and the trees, the world disappears, there’s a cool breeze, and its total serenity.  A great meditation spot.  There are some beautiful routes on this wall, including.Compassion of the Elephants and Torturer’s Apprentice… and 5 or 6 others. 

I feel grateful for the opportunity to climb Torturer’s Apprentice because I know it takes a bit of set up from Bob and the day is not simple or easy.  I clocked the walk to the base at 1 mile. 

For me, it’s a route to admire. I think we were here in December and then again a couple weeks later. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I would really like to come back and climb it clean bottom to top.  There’s some funky business once you cross the Trespasser’s traverse but I think I can handle it.

100 feet.  5.10b/c 

Lori Milaswrote:

When I think of crack Climbing, I think of this:

I don’t know if the little bitty things here even are worth the bother.

I am curious to know if we have a right hand of darkness here.  

Really nice pictures, Nick!  

Lori…. I don’t know if you have caught the subtle hints some of US drop from time to time about Josh. Not everyone has the same opinion about the place as I do. Some folks find JT to be the “end all be all” in the world of climbing, some of US have been around some and we only get excited when something is, at a minimum, a full rope length (50 meters). We like to “get hi” and enjoy the extra blast of adrenaline that one gets when the “deck” is way down there. I feel this attitude comes from old-timers who climbed in Yosemite, Gunks, Eldo, Senica to name a few.
With Josh just when one is starting to enjoy “it” it’s over- all to soon- I’m afraid.

But short climbs are all the rage now, look at “spy mountain”. It’s popular as heck.

But I’m happy for you, you make Joshua Tree work. Keep climbing.

Later 

Did a a little TRSing yesterday at my favorite wilderness crag in the Cascades. Look closely and you can see a rope hanging.

Not a bad place for lunch after climbing.

Guy Keeseewrote:

get excited when something is, at a minimum, a full rope length (50 meters). We like to “get hi” and enjoy the extra blast of adrenaline that one gets when the “deck” is way down there. I feel this attitude comes from old-timers who climbed in Yosemite, Gunks, Eldo, Senica to name a few.

I love long routes and getting high up! My last trip to Bishop I re-did a route in Pine Creek I had done before, it takes two 70 M rope raps to get down, so you can split it into 2 pitches if you want to, but it was SO MUCH FUN doing it as a 230 foot pitch. 

Before that route, we did a 3 pitch route on PSOM, about 300 feet, not long for multipitch, but great views of the Canyon and the Whites in the distance from the top.

Tubbs- welcome back. 

Guy, we have a famous off width pitch on Cannon cliff  called the half moon pitch. it's about 400ft off the deck but the off width pitch is only about 50ft. Kicked my butt and I opted for a finger crack variation every time I was up there. Showed it to my western friend Alex (on something in Escalante?) he thought it was short and easy.. ;)